Portable fire escape



March 31. 1925.

0. SAGO .ronmsm FIRE ESCAPE 7 Filed Oct. 12. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

NIT D orient-ins sAGo, on OLD non-GE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PORTABLE FIRE EsoAPn.

Application filed ember 12,1923. Serial No. 668,170.

To all 107mmit may] concern:

Be it known that CHARLES Ssoo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Old Forge, in the county of Lack-awanna and State of Pennsylvania, has invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Fire Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its purpose to provide, in a portable fire escape,- a relatively simple and eflicient portable contrivance as a substitute for lirem ens step-ladders for elfecting rescue in case of fire in buildings where the ordinary means of egress, such as extensible ladders, are impracticable. v

Another purpose is to provide a device for this purpose which is extensible to any desired height on the exterior of the building and close to the wall thereof, permitting the trai'isfer of the occupants of the building through the windows thereof.

Still another purpose is the provision of laterally extensible means at the upper end of the extensible contrivan'ce forbrid'ging the relatively narrow space between the upward extensible contrivance and the windows of the building in" order to permit the occupants to pass with safety from the windows to the platform at the upper end of the contrivance. p I

A further purpose is to provide, in an extensible contrivanc'e of this character, means actuated by power moimted upon a motor driven truck or vehicle whereby the contrivance may be lowered to such an extent that the entire apparatus may be easily and very quickly transported from place to place without interference with overhead wires or other overhead structures.

A still further purpose is the provision of means for mounting the extensible contrivanon; on the motor driven Vehicle or truck whereby the contrivance may be; rotated in a horizontal direction so as to permit the contrivance to be disposed in any suitable position adjacentthe building which is on lire without necessitating chai'iging the position of the motor driven truck or vehicle.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in noway limitative and that, while still keeping within the scope of the inveiit ion, any desired modifications of detail and desired proportions may be made in the apparatus according to the circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved portable fire escape apparatus constructed inaccordance with the invention, showing the extensible contrivance in its extended position.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation at right angles to that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the apparatus, more clearly showing the mechanism" for actuating the extensible contrivance, showing a part of said co1itrivance broken away in the center with the platform at the top in lowered position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail viewof a portion of the extensible contrivan'ce showing how the links of the extensible contrivance are constructed in order to permit the parts thereof to assemble and disassemble during the extensible action.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the platform at the top of the extensible co'ntrivance showing the laterally extensible gang-plank.

Figure 6 is a plan View of the same.

Figure 7 is a longitudinalsectional view through the platform, showing the eXtensible gang-plank receded.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a motor driven truck of conventional construction, with the exception that in the present instance the platform assumes a position inclined upwardly toward the rear. Driven by hotel gears 2, one of which is rotated by the drive shaft 3 of the motor, is

a transverse shaft 4 mounted in bearings on the under side of the platform of the truck. Mounted upon the shaft l is a sprocket 5 operating a chain 6 which, in turn, passes about a sprocket 7 for rotating a shaft 8 which also assumes a. transverse position on the platform in bearings thereof. Carried by the shaft 8 is a gear 9 which meshes with a rack 10 which engziigcs with a swivelled guide 11 mounted upon the platform. The rack 10 is, in turn, pivoted to a platform 12 which supports the entire fire cs cape apparatus.

The platform 12 is fulcrumed at 18 upon suitable supports and disposed upon the platform is a gear 14 with which a gear 15 meshes for revolving the turn-table 16 relatively to the gear 14 and the platform 12. The shaft 17 which carries the gear is mounted in bearings on the turn-table 16 and projecting downwardly from which is a plurality of wheels or rollers 18 for engaging a suitable raceway on the upper face of the gear 14, thereby revolubly supporting the turn-table. A supporting shaft 19 on which the turn-table 16 is mounted constitutes a bearing and is disposed concentric with the gear 14. The rollers or wheels 1.8 act to maintain the platform level during its operative movements.

A conventional form of motor 20 is mounted upon the turn-table and its shaft has a conventional form of fly wheel 21 and brake wheel 22 for controlling the shaft. A conventional form of lever 23 is employed for operating the brake wheel. The motor shaft 20 also has bevel gears 25 and 26 which mesh with the bevel gears 27 and 28. The gears 27 and 28 are carried by the perpendicular shafts 29 which are mounted in bearing and their upper ends are supplied with bevel gears 30 and 31 for meshing with the bevel gears 32 which are carried by the horizontal shafts 33 which, in turn, carry the sprockets 34.

One of the shafts 29 has a bevel gear 35 which meshes with a bevel gear 36 carried by a shaft 37 and on one end of this shaft is a sprocket 38 for driving the chain 39 which. in turn, engages about a sprocket 40 on a shaft 41. The shaft 41 carries a suitable drum 42 and rising from the turn-table is an extensible contrivance which comprises the links 43 and the transverse rungs 44 to which the links are hingedly connected, thereby providing a flexible extensible member to wind about the drum 42, that is, when the drum is rotated. The ends of the rungs 44 have extensions 45 at their ends and the extremities thereof are spherical.

In order to hold the links 43 relatively rigid when the contrivance is extended, ad- .ditional links 46 which are hingedly connected at right angles to the connection of the links 43 are provided. These links 46 are adapted to assume positions adjacent the ends of the rungs 44 when the contrivance is extended. In fact, the hinged connections 47 of the links 46 are on the remote faces of the links, whereby the links 46 may wind. about drums 48 carried by the shafts 49 which are also supported in bearings of supports 50 mounted upon the turn-table. The shafts 49 are also operatively geared at 51 to the motor shaft in order to cause the links 46 to wind about the drums 48.

It will be noted upon reference to the drawings that the ends of the links 46 separate as the links wind upon the drum 48 and close when the links of the contrivance are extended. The adjacent ends of the links 46, when closed, are alined axially with the center of the rungs .44 and the faces of the ends of the links 46 have semispherical sockets 52 for the reception of the spherical extremities of the extensions 45. lVhen the contrivance is extended, the adjacent ends of the links 46 automatically close upon the spherical extremities of the extensions 45 and, due to the hinged connections 47 being at right angles to the hinged connections between the links and the rungs, the collapsible elements of the contrivance are held rigid when the contrivance is extended.

hen the drum 42 and the drums 48 are rotating, and it is desired to lower the platform 53 at the upper end of the extensible contrivance, the various links 43 and 46 will automatically disengage and wind about the drums 42 and 48, respectively. In order to cause the links 43 to wind about the drum 42, power is transmitted from the shafts 37 to the shaft 41 while the drums 48 are driven by the operative gear connections 51.

Connected to supporting beams 54 upon which the platform is supported are guy ropes or cables 55 which wind about drums 56 carried by the shafts 57 which are mount-- ed in bearings of supports 58. Carried by the shafts 57 are sprockets 59 which are ongaged by the sprocket chains 60. The chains 60 are, in turn, engaged with sprockets 61 which are mounted upon the shafts 33 and, due to the shafts 33 being rotated through the medium of the shafts 29 geared to the motor shaft, power is transmitted to the drums 56 for causing the guy ropes or cables to wind upon the drums. The guy ropes or cables act to reinforce the platform 53 when the contrivance is extended.

The beams 54 are spaced from the plat form 53 (upwardly from which a railing or bannister 62 rises) for the purpose of affording a guide for the extensible gang-plank 63. A rack 64 is mounted upon the gangplank 63 and its teeth mesh with the gear 65 which is rotatable with shaft 66. The shaft 66 carries a sprocket 67 with which a sprocket chain 68 engages. A suitable crank shaft 69 is mounted in bearings of a bracket 7 0 car ried by the platform 53 and movable with the shaft is a sprocket 71 with which the chain 68 engages.

By rotating the shaft 69, it is obvious that motion may be transmitted to the sprocket 67 causing the shaft 66 to rotate which, in. turn, will. render the gang-plank )3 extensible in a lateral direction through the medium of the gear 65 meshing with the rack 64. The purpose of providing the extensible gang-plank movable in a lateral direction is to permit occupants of a building to egress from the windows thereof upon. the gang-plank to the platform 53. Obviously, when all of those who are in danger have been rescued and are upon the platform. 53, the extensible contrivance may be receded, lowering the platform to a relatively close l position. above the turntable. Before lowering the platform, the gang-plank is returned to its normal position. However, after the platform reaches its lowered position, the gang-plank may again be extended to permit those who have been rescued to reach the ground in safety.

Mounted upon suitable shafts laterally projecting from the railing or banister are sprockets 7 2 with which the railing or banister chains 73 engage. Rising from the gang plank are standards 74 to which the chains 73 are connected. The chains also pass over sprockets 75 which are carried by the platform 53 and the other ends of the chains are connected at 76 to one end of the gangplank, that is, the end opposite the support-s 74-. Obviously, when the gang-plank 63 is extended or receded, the railing or banister chains 73 automatically extend or recede.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. In a portable fire escape apparatus including a turn-table with means for supporting the same, an extensible contrivance consisting of a single ladder with a platform at its upper end, said ladder comprising a plurality of flexibly connected rungs and a plurality of flexibly connected links, said links having means for automatically connecting and disconnecting with the ends of the runs as the contrivance extends and recedes, the connections between the links and the rungs acting to reinforce the ladder when extended, and means comprising a plurality of drums for reeling the rungs and the links respectively as the contrivance is receded.

2. In a portable fire escape apparatus including a turn-table with means for supporting the same, an extensible contrivance consisting of a single ladder with a platform at its upper end, said ladder comprising transverse flexibly united rungs and flexibly united links, the flexibly connected links having means for operative connection and disconnection with the ends of the rungs, and means for extending and receding the ladder and including a plurality of drums, one on which the rungs reel and a pair of drums on which the flexibly connected links reel as the ladder recedes.

3. In a'portable fire escape including a turn-table with means for supporting the same, an extensible contrivance mounted upon the turn-table consisting of a single ladder with a platform at its upper end, extensible and receding reinforcing guy cables operatively connecting with the upper end of the ladder, said ladder comprising horizontal flexibly connected rungs and flexibly connected links provided withopening and closing connections with the ends of the rungs, thereby reinforcing the ladder when extended and enabling the rungs and the links to be reeled respectively when receded, means for extending and receding the ladder including a drum for the rungs and separate drums for the links, and a reeling mechanism for the guy cables and provided with operative connections with the extending and receding means for the ladder.

In testimony whereof he afiixes his signature.

CHARLES SAGO. 

